The invention relates to a connection assembly providing signal conditioning and superior shielding for high speed data applications.
Known connector assemblies exist having multiple receptacle connectors in a common housing, which provides a compact arrangement of such receptacle connectors. Such a connector assembly is useful to provide multiple connection ports. Accordingly, such a connector assembly is referred to as a multiple port connector assembly. In preferred arrays, the housing has jacks one above the other, forming a plurality of arrays in stacked arrangement, so-called stacked jack arrangements. The receptacle connectors, that is, modular jacks, each have electrical terminals arranged in a terminal array, and have plug receiving cavities. Specifically, the receptacle connectors are in the form of RJ-45 type modular jacks that establish mating connections with corresponding RJ-45 modular plugs.
For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,612, a connector assembly has two rows of receptacle connectors, that is, modular jacks, arranged side-by-side in an upper row and side-by-side in a lower row in a common housing, which advantageously doubles the number of receptacle connectors without having to increase the length of the housing. The receptacle connectors have plug-receiving sections with plug receiving cavities that are profiled to surround modular plugs that are to be inserted in the cavities. The modular plugs have resilient latches, which engage with latching sections on the modular jacks. The latches are capable of being grasped by hand, and being resiliently bent inwardly toward the plugs to release them from engagement with the latching sections on the modular jacks.
Such connection systems have found utility in office computer networks, where desktops are interconnected to office servers by way of sophisticated cabling. Such networks have a variety of data transmission medium including coaxial cable, fiber optic cable and telephone cable. One such network topography is known as the Ethernet network, which is subject to various electrical standards, such as IEEE 802.3 and others. Such networks have the requirement to provide a high number of distributed connections, yet optimally requires little space in which to accommodate the connections.
Furthermore, such networks now operate at speeds of 1 gigabit and higher which requires significant conditioning to the signals. For instance, it is common to require shielding for controlling electromagnetic radiation per FCC standards, while at the same time controlling electromagnetic interference (EMI) within the assembly, between adjacent connections. It is therefore also a requirement to provide such components within the assembly as magnetic coils, inductors, chip capacitors, and the like, to condition the signals. While the technology exists for conditioning the signals, no connection devices exist which are capable of handling such speeds, while at the same time package the signal conditioning components required to maintain these speeds.
Another design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,911 to Boutros et al., which discloses a modular jack assembly having multiple ports for connection to multiple modular jacks. While this assembly further discloses having packaged magnetic assemblies, or other components, this design, as in other attempts to signal condition connection devices, simply adds the components to known connection devices. Therefore the volume within the assembly is inadequate to provide the proper signal conditioning devices for the high speeds now required.
The objects of the inventions are therefore to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.
The objects of the invention have been accomplished by providing an electrical connector having signal conditioning, where the connector comprises an electrical connector housing assembly comprised of a front housing portion having a mating face for matingly receiving a complementary connector, and a housing component receiving portion having a receiving area for receiving signal conditioning components. A plurality of electrical contacts are positioned in the housing, with mating contact portions adjacent said mating face for contact with the complementary connector, and connecting portions extending into the receiving area. A plurality, of signal conditioning components are positioned in the receiving area, with a plurality of conductor portions positioned in the receiving area interconnecting the connecting portions and the signal conditioning components. A shielding mechanism at least partially surrounds the electrical connector housing assembly, the shield member having a foot portion extending into the receiving area, and in electrical contact with at least one of the signal conditioning components.
Preferably, the front housing portion and the housing component receiving portion are separate housing portions. The shielding mechanism is comprised of a front shielding portion, surrounding the front housing portion, and a rear shielding portion, surrounding the component receiving housing portion. The front shielding portion is comprised of a plurality of shielding walls surrounding the front housing portion, with one of the shielding walls including said contact foot which extends into the receiving portion. The rear shielding portion is comprised of a plurality of shielding walls surrounding the component receiving housing portion, the rear shielding portion being positioned adjacent to the contact foot to enclose the housing component receiving portion.
The receiving area is defined by a floor and an upstanding perimeter wall, thereby defining an open upper face. The conductor portions are defined as circuit traces on a printed circuit board, with the signal conditioning components being positioned on the printed circuit board, with the perimeter wall being profiled to receive the printed circuit board therein. The connecting portions extend along, and are spaced from, a rear face of the front housing portion, whereby the front housing portion and the component receiving housing portion are assembled together, with a front wall portion of the upstanding perimeter wall extending between the connecting portions and the rear face of the front housing portion. The rear face is recessed and the side walls of the front housing portion partially overlap the perimeter wall.
The front shield member is comprised of a rear wall shielding a portion of the connecting portions, and a tab portion extending from the rear wall and partially overlying the open upper face. The conductor portions are defined as circuit traces on a printed circuit board, with the signal conditioning components being positioned on the printed circuit board, with the perimeter wall being profiled to receive the printed circuit board therein. The contact foot extends vertically downward from the tab portion through the open upper face. The rear shielding portion includes a top shielding wall enclosing the open upper face, which extends to the tab portion, to define substantially enclosed seams.
In another aspect of he invention, a signal conditioned electrical connector comprises an electrical connector housing assembly comprised of a first housing portion having a mating face for matingly receiving a complementary connector, and a second housing portion having a receiving area defined by a floor and an upstanding perimeter wall, for receiving signal conditioning components. A plurality of electrical contacts are positioned on the first housing portion, having contact portions adjacent the mating face for contact with the complementary connector, and connecting portions extending into the receiving area. A plurality of signal conditioning components are positioned in the receiving area, and a plurality of conductor portions are positioned in the receiving area interconnecting the connecting portions and the signal conditioning components. A shielding mechanism at least partially surrounds the electrical connector housing assembly.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the shield member has a foot portion extending into the receiving area, which is in electrical contact with at least one of the signal conditioning components. The front housing portion and the housing component receiving portion are separate housing portions. The shielding mechanism is comprised of a front shielding portion, surrounding the front housing portion, and a rear shielding portion, surrounding the component receiving housing portion. The front shielding portion is comprised of a plurality of shielding walls surrounding the front housing portion, with one of the shielding walls including a contact foot extending into the receiving portion. The rear shielding portion is comprised of a plurality of shielding walls surrounding the component receiving housing portion, where the rear shielding portion is positioned adjacent to the contact foot to enclose the housing component receiving portion.
The receiving area is defined by a floor and an upstanding perimeter wall, thereby defining an open upper face. The conductor portions are defined as circuit traces on a printed circuit board, with the signal conditioning components being positioned on the printed circuit board, with the perimeter wall being profiled to receive the printed circuit board therein. The connecting portions extend along, and are spaced from, a rear face of the front housing portion, whereby the front housing portion and the component receiving housing portion are assembled together, with a front wall portion of the upstanding perimeter wall extending between the connecting portions and the rear face of the front housing portion. The rear face is recessed and the side walls of the front housing portion partially overlap the perimeter wall. The front shield member is comprised of a rear wall shielding a portion of the connecting portions, and a tab portion extending from the rear wall and partially overlying the open upper face. The contact foot extends vertically downward from the tab portion through the open upper face. The rear shielding portion includes a top shielding wall enclosing the open upper face, which extends to the tab portion, to define substantially abutting seams.